Pubdate: Thu, 3 Apr 2008
Source: Midland Daily News (MI)
Copyright: 2008 Midland Daily News
Contact:  http://www.ourmidland.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4293
Author: Bob Wood

STOP DRUG WAR

To the editor:

Rep. Dave Camp's 03/12/08 letter concerning tax and spend tells us
that we are about to get hit with the largest federal tax increase in
American history. With property values going down our property taxes
continue to rise along with every other kind of tax that you can name.

Our exploding drug war costs and corrections costs are the cause of
it. We imprison more people than any other county in the world. We are
over filling our jails and prisons with prohibited drug offenders.
Last month Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear stated that the crime rate had
increased 3% in the past 30 years, while the state's inmate population
has increased by 600%. Those figures are probably similar for all of
our states. Spending for the drug war and imprisoning our citizens is
not worth the money spent on it. The drug war created the largest
criminal and most lucrative industry in the world with the black
market drug trade. It has created a drug abuse epidemic in all of our
communities.

Until we start holding our legislators accountable for taking money
from special interest groups, the drug war will never end. Just this
week Rep. Stupak and 218 other state representatives asked for another
$430 million to fund our drug task forces. The drug task forces will
spend that money by breaking into peoples' homes and robbing them
under the drug forfeiture laws.

The drug war is the longest and most expensive war in American
history. Stop raising our taxes. Legalize, regulate, and tax
controlled substances, and release all convicted drug offenders from
prison.

Bob Wood, Caro
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake